grimmer; grimmest
1
: fierce in disposition or action : savage
grim wolves
2
a
: stern or forbidding in action or appearance
a grim taskmaster
b
: somber, gloomy
grim news of the disaster
3
: ghastly, repellent, or sinister in character
a grim tale
4
: unflinching, unyielding
grim determination
grimly adverb
grimness noun

Examples of grim in a Sentence

Hikers made a grim discovery when they came across a dead body in the woods. The accident serves as a grim reminder of the dangers of drinking and driving. The prognosis is grim—doctors do not expect her to live longer than six months. He paints a grim picture of the prospects for peace. His face looked grim, and we knew his news wouldn't be good.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Jill Biden, meanwhile, is portrayed as a grim figure. Amy Davidson Sorkin, New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2025 The trade for Flacco was necessary strictly because of how grim the outlook had become. Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025 The Hunger Games star took over the role of the grim monster slayer following Cavill’s announcement that he was departed the series three years ago. James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2025 For aspiring homeowners, the outlook is especially grim. Dave Smith, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for grim

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, "fierce, savage, terrifying, repellent, violent, severe," going back to Old English grimm "fierce, savage, harsh, severe," going back to Germanic *grimma-, from earlier *gremma- (whence also Old Frisian grim, grem "fierce, severe, frightening," Old Saxon grimm "fierce, hostile, severe," Old High German grim, grimmi, Old Norse grimmr), adjective derivative from the base of *grimman- "to rage" (whence Old English & Old Saxon grimman "to rage," Old High German grimmen), probably going back to *ghrem-ne-, nasal present from an Indo-European verbal base *ghrem- "roar, rage," whence Avestan graməṇt- "raging," Greek chremetízein "to neigh, whinny," chrémisan "(they) neighed"; with zero-grade ablaut Old Church Slavic vŭzgrĭmě "thundered, roared," Lithuanian grumiù, grumė́ti "to roar, thunder"; with o-grade ablaut Germanic *gram- (whence Old English, Old Saxon & Old High German gram "angry, hostile, fierce," Old Norse gramr "anger," Old English gremman, gremian "to anger, enrage," Old High German gremmen, Old Norse gremja, Gothic gramjan), Old Church Slavic gromŭ "thunder," Greek chrómos, chrómē (Hesychius) "kind of noise, snorting, neighing," chrómados "grinding of jaws" (cf. chromis)

Note: The base *ghrem- is most likely of onomatopoeic origin, with different semantic developments in the Indo-European branch languages.

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of grim was before the 12th century

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Cite this Entry

“Grim.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grim. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

grim

adjective
grimmer; grimmest
1
2
a
: stern in action or appearance
b
: dismal sense 1
grim news
c
3
: frightful sense 1
a grim tale
4
: unflinching, unyielding
grim determination
grimly adverb
grimness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on grim

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